3-2-1: Skill positions loaded, line mysteries remain
In our weekly 3-2-1 feature we'll pay special attention to Kentucky's embarrassment of riches at the skill positions.
Meanwhile, we're asking a couple of questions that remain unsettled and making a bold prediction.
What we've learned
1. Camp went smoothly for Drew Barker. This was the first time Mark Stoops knew who his starting quarterback would be going into fall camp at Kentucky and, in a very good way, it was an uneventful camp at the position. Stephen Johnson drew praise some days. Gunnar Hoak performed well in the second scrimmage, according to Cats Illustrated sources.
Free video: Eddie Gran talks about UK's offensive performance as he wraps up fall camp.
But what really stands out about Drew Barker's camp is how ordinary it seems to have been. Not ordinary as in average, mediocre or unimpressive. Ordinary as in it went without hiccups, drama and wild swings between highs and lows. Darin Hinshaw and Eddie Gran were both complimentary of their quarterback and consistency was one of their buzzwords going into camp and throughout it. Barker seems to have delivered a mostly consistent camp.
2. Kentucky has an embarrassment of riches at the skill positions. This goes for offense and defense. On the defensive side of the ball the Cats' secondary will be without Darius West, but even in his absence the defensive backfield remains stacked with lots of young talent. At times the coaching staff kept their top defensive backs at a low workload to preserve their health. The team entered camp with everyone excited to watch the secondary and the fact that excitement is still high is a sign that the group didn't disappoint.
On the offensive side of the ball it's clear the Cats have strong potential at the skill positions - wide receiver, running back, tight end. Eddie Gran spoke in glowing terms of the tight ends on the last day of camp, with C.J. Conrad, Greg Hart and Justin Rigg giving Kentucky its best set of players at the position, on paper, since Mark Stoops arrived. Also Tuesday, Lamar Thomas said he feels good about "eight to ten" wide receivers working under him, and that's a very healthy rotation that will continue the competition into the fall season.
Of course, at running back the depth is well-established. No one's unseating Stanley Williams as the starter but between Jojo Kemp, Mikel Horton, Sihiem King and freshman Benny Snell there should be strong competition for the carries that Boom doesn't take.
3. Several young players have made a strong impression. We'll know more soon about which freshmen will see action against Southern Miss, but here's what we know so far.
Grant McKinniss, the Cats' true freshman punter, is locked in a competition with Bryan Kirshe for the starting job. Both have had their ups and downs, apparently.
Snell has been extremely impressive at running back as has Rigg at tight end. Landon Young received some positive reviews from coaches on a couple of occasions after camp sessions in the last couple of weeks.
It's very likely that redshirt freshman Tavin Richardson will break into the rotation at receiver, and both fellow redshirt freshman Jabari Greenwood and JUCO transfer Kayaune Ross are also trying to do the same.
On the defensive line Mark Stoops and the other coaches have consistently pointed to T.J. Carter as someone who may need to play early. Recently, true freshman linebacker Kash Daniel was also singled out as someone who may need to play.
Although the secondary is stacked with talent it's also very likely that true freshman cornerback Jordan Griffin will see lots of snaps this year.
What we're asking
1. Can D.J. Eliot and Matt House find a good combination of linebackers that can form a solid rotation? At times the linebackers were praised during this fall camp. Coaches in post-practice media settings (and Cats Illustrated sources as well) repeatedly pointed to redshirt sophomore Kobie Walker as a player who can make a big contribution this year. Eli Brown's emergence as a redshirt freshman - probably earlier than expected - has been another positive development at the position. Denzil Ware has long been expected to provide a pass rush at the Jack position and that hasn't changed.
Still, questions remain. How ready is Courtney Love to man the middle of the defense? When the coaches point to Kash Daniel as a player who might need to play early, how much of that is their trust in Daniel's readiness and how much of it is their concern over the play of others? Has Ware really made a big step forward after last season as almost everyone believed he needed to? Can Josh Allen be a consistent producer in just his second year in the program? Is Jordan Jones' recent stretch of positive play a sign that he's trending back in the right direction for good? With De'Niro Laster moving inside, does that shake up the depth chart there?
Kentucky's got a lot of players who can make plays at linebacker. That's why people had high hopes for the position, even after attrition. But at times the group was singled out for criticism during camp. With so many questions lingering on the defensive line - real questions indeed - the linebackers must prove themselves early.
2. How much has the forecast improved at offensive tackle? One of the big questions heading into camp was whether Kentucky could develop adequate depth at the offensive tackle spots. That question largely overshadowed the also-valid question of whether Kyle Meadows and Cole Mosier will be able to hold up themselves against the ferocious defensive lines of the SEC.
Both questions are about to be answered. The coaching staff seems bullish on Mosier's development and when everyone from Gran to John Schlarman were asked about the line they seemed pleased with the play of their starters at left and right tackle. The question they kept pointing to was whether they could find a third tackle.
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Landon Young received some good reviews, but the coaches didn't hint that he was ready to play right away deep into camp. George Asafo-Adjei has been solid recently, according to Cats Illustrated sources. He's got starting experience at tackle and could be the ultimate solution. Mason Wolfe doesn't seem to be ready, based on what we've heard, and Tate Leavitt is still scrapping to work his way into the mix.
There's a lot of optimism for the offense right now, but does Kentucky have the depth or even the starters at tackle to build the well-oiled machine Gran dreams of?
One bold prediction
Kentucky's pass rush will be better than many people believe. That's not to say the defensive line is where it needs to be or that the linebackers don't have room for improvement. But Kentucky's defense does have length and athleticism on the front seven right now. The defense clearly has questions, especially related to depth and tackling as D.J. Eliot said just a day ago. But of all the defensive questions you've heard, the one about the pass rush is not the most pressing. The more pressing question is whether Kentucky's defensive line can hold up to some extent and give the linebackers a little help. If they can't, nothing else matters. UK doesn't have an elite SEC pass rush, but their sack and hurry total will improve this year.